Mule or pusher-car.



P. l. FICKINGER.

MULE 0R PUSHER CAR.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 25. 19:5.

LWJW. Patel l ted Dec. 7, 1915.

pnirnn stares Parana oirritcn PRESLY J. FICKINGER', O F'CONNEAUT, OHIO.-

MULE on rusnEacAn menace.

To all whom it may concern: 7 Be lt'liIlOWIl that I, PimsLY J. Ficnixonn,

a citizen of the United States, and resident of Conneaut, in the county of. Ashtabu la and State of Ohio, have invented certain Pusher-Cars, of which the following a specification. I

My invention relates to mules or pusher cars used in moving cars on a railway track, one object of the invention being the provision of a mule offlnovel construction adapted for use in moving a car or train of cars from one point to another on a track which is inclined, but may be level, and arranged to pass or be passed by the car or train of cars withoutengagement therewith in moving the mule or in moving the cars intoposition for the cars to be operatively engaged bythe mule; and the invention consists in certain novel. features of construction and combinations and arrange ments of parts to be more fully described hereinafter and to be pointedout in the appended claims.

Referring now to the drawings forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a plan showing the mule or pusher car, as arranged on its track alongside a lflllWElYtlfiCk for use in shifting cars from one point to another on said railway track. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the apparatus of the mule or pusher car shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the apparatus shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

In the accompanying drawings, the numeral 2 designates the track rails of a car track on which cars.,3 are moved into posi-' tion upon a car duniper to be inverted and thereby emptied. On one side of the wall 4, which extends alongside the track formed by the rails 2 2, parallel with the rails 2,

2 is a single rail .5 forming a parallel track for the mule or pusher car.

The mule comprises a frame (3 having a platform on which the operator standsand rides with the mule, when the mule is traveling on therail 5 in pushing the cars 3 and in returning into position to engage another car or train of cars, and secured to the frame 6 in bearings 8 beneath the platform 7, are flanged wheels 9 by which the mule is supported uponthe 'muletrack-rail 5. The extension or top portion 10 of the frame 6 projects sidewise above and across Specification of Lattens Iratent.

Patented lllccfia, 1915..

the top of the wall. at located between the car track formed by the single rail 5.

Pivotally secured in bearings 11, 11, on

the upper surface of the frame extension 10' is a swinging or rocking pusher arm 12, this arm being provided with an extension 13 forming a counterbalance weight for the front or car engaging end 14 of the arm 12.

A sprocket wheel 15 on the rear end of the pusher arm 11 is connected by an endless sprocket chain 16 with a. sprocket wheel 17 on the horizontal rocking shaft 18, which is mounted in bearings 19, 19 on the extension 10 of the frame 6. A hand lever 20 provides means for the operator, while stationed on the platform 7, to rock the shaft 18 and swing the end 14- of the pusher arm 12 into operative position, shown in full lines in Figs. 1 and 3, and to move the arm into its inoperative position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 3.

Projecting from the lower side of the extension 9 of the frame 6 are angular bracket bearings 21 (see Fig. 8) and rotatably secured on each bracket bearing 21 is a flanged Wheel 22, the axes of these wheels extending at an oblique angle to the vertical. The tread of each of the wheels 22 engages with the guide rail 23 which is secured on the upper end of the wall 1, these wheels 22 assisting in maintaining the mule in position on the track rail 5 when the mule is-in motion.

The weight of the mule is distributed to give the mule a tendency to overturn sidewisefrom left to right in Fig. 3 and this tendency to overturn is olfset and such turning movement is prevented by engagement of the wheel's-22 with the uide rail 23.

The mule is connecte to one end of a haulage rope 2% which extends lengthwise alongside the track rails 2 and is connected at its other end to the rope drum of av haulage mechanism and a tail rope 25 connected by one end to the rear end of the mule, after passing around a rope sheave, (not shown) extends backwardly and is connected by its other end to the vrope drum of the haulage mechanism so when the winding drum isro tated to pull on the haulage rope 24-, the mule. is moved along the track (from right to left in Fig. 1) and when the end 14 of the arm 12 is rocked or turned into position to engage the end of a ear 3 on the track rails 2, the male will move such car on the track. When the haulage mechanism is reversed the tail rope 25 will pull the male backvardly or from left to right in Fig. 1.

The drum of the haulage mechanism is driven by an electric motor and the electric terminals or feed wires of this motor are connected to horizontal electric conductor bars 26 and 27 which are secured to the face of the wall inear its upper end.

Contact shoes are provided on the frame (5 of the male, to operatively engage with the conductor bars 2t 27', and these contact shoes are connected by wires to the electric controller 28, which is mounted on the platform '1' of the mule and is provided with an operating handle 29 by which the controller is manipulated.

In the operation of the mule forming this invention, the controller handle is turned by the operator stationed upon the platform 7, to move the controller into position to supply current to the electric motor driving the rope drum and causing the rope drum to rotate. 'iherope drum through the tail rope :25 causes the mule to move baclnvardly into position to engage the rear end of a car 3 on the track rails 2, 2, or engage the rear end of the last car in a train of cars on the track formed by the rails f 'l'he pusher arm operating handle 20 is then thrown from the dotted position into the full line position shown in 3 this movement swinging the rocking pusher arm 12 to more the carengaging end 1": of this arm from the pos. that shown in full lines in Fig. 3. The con troller isthen setto cause the motor to turn the winding drum so as to pull and cause the indie to move from right to left in Fig. 1. The end 1i of the pushe arm 12 thcnengages with and moves the car 3 or a train of cars 23 along the track formed by the rails Q, :2, and pushes the car or cars into or upon the car damper Ordinarily the car dumper is elevated to provide the clearance or head room necessary for dumping the cars into bins or receptacles beneatli the car dumper, so that the track formed by the rails 2, 2, leading to the car damper ordinarily is in clined. the apparatus, however, will operate equally well. on a level track. While the mule is pushing a caror pluralityof cars into position on the car dui er to be dumped, another loaded car or series of cars will be placed on the track 2 in position to be engaged later by the pusher arm of the mule. After pushing a. car 3 upon the car damper, the mule is moved.backwardly into position to enable its engaging another car. At the beginning of the backward movement of the male, the operator, by means of the hand lever 20, moves the swinging pusher arm on shown in dotted lines into the arm of the mule will clear theside' of the car or train of cars standing on the track 2 so that themule can be moved to the rear end of such car or train of cars into position for the a iii 12 to again be swung into car engaging position.

The advantages of my invention will be apparent to those skilled inthe art. The

apparatus is simple and is easily kept, in

repair. With mules constructed in accord ance with my invention the operator rides on the mule and is always close to the car being pushed in a position to quickly see the necessity for stopping and si-nuiltaneously to stop the pushing movement of the mule at anytime, instead of being located at a remote point where the conditions for observing anmot be so readily seen, or necessity for stopping the mule so quickly realized.

By providing the counter-balanced rocking pushe arm the necessary strength of the parts is securedwithout undue increase in the power retplired to swing the arm, so that the arm may be operated manually.- The mule is located on a track out of the path of the cars on the tack leading to the car damper. By means of my improved appa' ratus the necessity of havinga ,pit or depressed track between the rails of the car track and of using a ground hog in halodling and placing cars on a car dumper is avoided and overcome.

hilodilications in the construction and arangement of the parts may he made without departing from my invention as defined in the appended claims. While the appaatus is shown as applied for use on a car damper, obviously it is adapted for other uses.

1. a. mule -or pusher car comprising a tame having taclc wheels and having means whereby the male is moved on the track therefor, an operating platform on means whereby the mule. is moved on the track therefor, a rocking arm pivoted on the frame and arranged to move into and out of engagement with a car positioned at one side of the mule, a shaft on said frame having a handle, and meansconnecting the shaft and rocking arm to thereby more the arm into and out of car engaging position when the shaft to bring the pushing end 14 of the: arm into its.inoperationposition {shown dotted in When in this position rocked by said handle. 3. nt-ule or pusher ir ron'iprisiug a frame having track wheels and guide wheels by which. the mule is maintained in upright position, a platform on the sin frame, a horizontal rocking arm pivoted on the frame arranged to move into and out of engagement 'ith acar positioned at one side of the male, and means for swinging said rocking arm into and out of ear ell gag ing position by an operator on said )lai;- -form.

l. A mule .or pusher car comprising a frame having track wheels and ha means whereby the male moved on. the trael: therefor a platlm-m above said track wheels, a lengthwise horizontal rocking arm pi\' oted on the frame and having an overhang" in end arranged to more into and. out of or I gement with a car position i i. at one Si e of the mule, and means; for sv-iinging said rocking arm into and out of ear engag ing' position by an operator on said platform.

5. A mule or pusher ear conipri g a frame having l'ra :l; wheels and having means whereby the mule is; moved on the track therefor a platform above said trawl; wheels, :1 connterhalmced roea mg" arm 131V" oted on the i' -ame having an end arranged to more into and out of er gement with a car positionedat one side ol. the male, and

said fral'ne a rocking arm pivoted on the frame having an end arrangement to move into and out of engagement with the end of a car positioned at one side of the male, an electric controller on the frame for regurlating the movement of the mule on track and means for swinging said pivoteo arm into and out of car engagingposition, said controller and arm swinging m :ans be ing manipulated manually from said plat" form.

7. A mule or pusher car comprising a frame having a platform, a rocking arm] pivoted on the frame, means for moving the frame, and means for swinging said rocking arm, said frame and arm moving means be ing regulated and controlled by an operator stationed on said platform. 7

In testimony whereof I have hereunto my hand.

PRESLY J. FlCKlilGE-R. 

